Oof...that one hurt. This team has some serious gaps (paging the offensive line), but give credit to the Hokies. They brought their A game with a solid transfer QB and a relentless pass rush. I was impressed with them...but that was not a good day for the Bucks.
Offense: D+
Let's nip this in the bud right away--J.T. Barrett was not the problem. He wasn't perfect, but that line was a dumpster fire. He showed his youth with his quick abandonment of looking downfield, but he had good reason. The line is a train wreck. No QB would have had a chance in that situation. If they don't improve, it will be a rough season. The silver lining is that the Bucks won't face anyone near the quality of VT until MSU, but they have serious retooling work ahead of them. In addition, the WR corps needs to get better (Corey Smith? I'm talking about you). A freshman QB delivered a giftwrapped TD and he became Greg Little. There is no excuse for that at OSU. Running game? Where were you? JT ran well, but it's not his job! Tom Herman needs to utilize his athletes and sprinkle in quick slants/screens with some runs to keep that crazy pass rush honest. The Oline couldn't stop my grandma...
Defense: B-
Watching the game, I saw a lot of hate being lumped on the defense. I'll be honest, I thought they looked markedly better than last year. They are not world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, but it appears that the stud line was harrassing and the secondary prevented the big play. The main knock (giant elephant in the room) is the inability to get off the field on third down. That being said, Brewer played like a polished veteran and looked fantastic. I'm not convinced that was due to our defense as much as to VT having a competent QB. The secondary was improved, but still not there. I maintain that Darron Lee is a man but the other linebackers need work. Again, the silver lining is a nice soft schedule before PSU (which shouldn't be too bad).
Special Teams: F-
While the offensive line was offensive, the special teams was special. 2 missed kicks (including a 27 yarder!?!), a kick out of bounds, and a shanked punt? This cannot stand. I was impressed in week 1with the freshman kicker, but this is unacceptable. Yeah, he's young and the stage was huge, but we need consistent play in that aspect. I have a feeling the mystique of VT special teams created more havoc than the actual special teams. Tech was fine on special teams, but not any better than any other team. OSU let themselves down without much pressure.
Coaching: B-
The coaching wasn't horrific in this game other than some questionable playcalling. When the pressure turned up, it's time to start looking for quick throws. I don't like an offense based on flanker screens, but they can be involved in the gameplan. Also, maybe a HB screen or a FREAKING QUICK SLANT would relax some of the pressure on the QB from the revolving door Oline. The defensive gameplan was fine in my opinion, but Brewer just had a great game. Is the lack of usage of a power running game an artefact of a) a horrid Oline, b) no good backs, or c) a refusal to run between the tackles. a) I can understand, but we didn't keep the defense honest, so they pinned their ears back and attacked.
Overall: D
I want to give an F for failing when all that matters is winning, but I can't forget about Barrett playing at a non-F level and the defense showing up. This was a game the Buckeyes needed and they didn't show up. Credit to the Hokies for a superior gameplan that exploited the weakness in the O-line. At the end of the day, a loss is a loss and there are some serious holes that need plugging. You have a month to get better Bucks. Time to get to work. (Anyone seeking to play O-line for the Bucks should contact Urban ASAP).
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